Geographical indications and international agricultural trade : the challenge for Asia
Résumé
Food safety issues and economic growth have boosted the demand for quality food in Asian countries. In this context, the existence of traditional products with a long history has caused a proliferation of new geographical indications such as the famous Chinese longjing tea or Japanese sake. These products have the potential to promote local development and gain access to international markets, but this potential can only be realized through globally harmonized legislation and intellectual property rights, also advocated by the WTO. This has stimulated debate over how the quality of these goods is defined and how this affects their demand. This book uses a combination of theoretical discussion and empirical fieldwork to answer these questions, and analyse the local and global impact of the proliferation of GIs.